China unveils action plan to promote green consumption

China on Monday released a nationwide action plan aimed at promoting green consumption, forming part of the country's broader efforts to accelerate the green transition of consumption and support high-quality development.

The plan, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and eight other government departments, outlines 20 policy measures across seven key areas to strengthen incentives for green consumption, covering sectors such as agricultural products, home appliances and accommodation services. It also details financial and other supporting policies to enhance the green consumption environment.

The initiative seeks to broaden the adoption of green consumption behaviors, and speed up the transition toward low-carbon production and lifestyles, according to a notice published on the Ministry of Commerce's official website.

The plan prioritizes improving quality supply in essential livelihood-related sectors, calling for increased availability of green agricultural products and wider adoption of energy-efficient home appliances.

It also promotes greener vehicle consumption by incentivizing the purchase of new energy vehicles and strengthening the automotive industry chain, while fostering innovative consumption scenarios including RV camping, drive-in cinema experiences and road travel.

The plan also aims to upgrade green service consumption by promoting green catering, accommodation and household services.

To cultivate new models of green consumption, the plan calls for the development of green supply chains and the implementation of carbon footprint assessments. It also encourages the growth of green leasing services, as well as wider adoption of shared mobility, shared spaces and shared goods, to promote more efficient use of resources.

The initiative also emphasizes deeper integration of artificial intelligence with green consumption, thereby supporting the development of smart products and application scenarios.